Author's Note – I do not own any of the characters, Marvel and DC do.
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Chapter Thirty-Two
Apocalypse Rising
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Even without the infiltrators, the assault on the Triskelion would have probably succeeded.
With the Hydra agents in place, it went from probable to devastating.
The first warning that the SHIELD personnel received about the threat that they faced was when the first wave of Sentinels smashed through the windows into the large hallways, blasters targeting the armed guards with ruthless efficiency, followed less than a minute later by a veritable flood of ceramic humanoids that quickly ripped apart any attempt to counter-attack.
One security guard managed to survive long enough to hit a button to sound the evacuation alarm, but the Hydra saboteurs had beaten him to it and his sacrifice was in vain.
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Fury stalked onto the bridge of the Helicarrier and glared round.
"What's happening?!"
"The Triskelion has dropped off the grid, sir. Even the Door is non-functional." One of the agents replied, tapping almost frantically at the console in front of her. "I'm using the over-rides to access internal cameras, sir."
One of the other crew members looked up sharply at that, then back down at his console, an action that did not go unnoticed by Fury.
"Put it on the main screen once you get in." He commanded, one hand tapping against his belt.
"Yes, sir." The agent responded, still typing, then she nodded. "I'm in, linking… now!"
A large holographic rectangle flickered into existence before splitting into a dozen smaller screens. An instant later, each screen lit up with a different image and Fury pointed.
"Screen seven, zoom in!"
The image of the main entrance grew and focused in on the people striding through with their armed escort.
"Sir, we have an identification on two of them… three… four…"
"Tell me!" Fury commanded as the bridge door hissed open behind him. On the screen, tags appeared linking to various people.
"Facial recognition software indicates that the four in the lead are Warren Worthington III, Erik Lensherr, Lensherr's Supergirl clone and based on the constant micro-variations, an unknown shapeshifter. The central figure is unknown, but the flankers are Nathaniel Essex and Johann Schmidt."
"Angel, Magneto, Galatea, Mr Sinister and the Red Skull." Fury ground out. "Helmsman, set course for the Triskelion, maximum thrust!"
"I can't let you do that." The agent who had reacted oddly stated as he rose, pulling out a pistol and pointing it at Fury. "New orders, take us to the nearest lake and land, ready for reinforcements."
"Changing course and descending." The Helmsman grinned as a dozen other people rose, pulling out guns and pointing them at the loyal crew members. "Hail Hydra!"
The deck tilted slightly, then pitched upwards and the traitorous agent half-turned.
"What are you doing?"
"It's not me!" The Helmsman snapped as he tapped as his controls frantically.
"It's me." Fury stated as he slid his fingers across a small holographic interface.
"Not for much… what the…?"
Fury grinned at the now-disarmed agent, then glanced round to see the other traitors staring at their empty hands.
"Excellent work, Agent-C. Now take these traitors to the Brig."
"You got it, boss." Cir-El smirked as she blurred into visibility, then she vanished in a blur of pure speed along with the Hydra operatives.
Fury nodded as a new agent moved to take over the Helm.
"Sir! Screen six!"
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"Magnificent." Apocalypse smirked as he looked across the hanger and the three heavily-armed sky-ships within.
"The Heli-battleships." A major stated as he saluted. "Our forces have taken over and we are ready to launch. Hail Hydra!"
"Heil Hydra."
Apocalypse glanced at his red-skinned servant, then he looked at the metal roof above the three skyships.
"Prepare to launch."
"Yes, sir!" The Major saluted and above them, the sound of metal against metal began to echo through the artificial cavern. "If you would be so kind as to board?"
"Archangel, Magneto, you will ride on the craft on the left. Galatea, Apophis, the right. Red Skull, Sinister, with me."
As droplets of water started to fall, Apocalypse strode along the extended walkway towards his new chariot of conquest, pausing only to look at the corpse of one of the mechanics who had been loyal to SHIELD.
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"Fuck!" Fury swore as the surface of the Potomac river was suddenly broken by several lines of rapidly-inflating air-cushions that outlined the hangar bays below the surface. Within moments, the water covering the hangar doors had been pumped away to reveal the metal surfaces rising and sliding to allow the three newly-completed ariel battleships to launch.
"I need eyes on that thing!" Fury snapped as he tapped his belt again. A blur zoomed into position beside him as he barked out orders. "Agent-C, grab a camera rig and get to a position where you can keep track of them, but do not approach closer than two kilometers or engage unless ordered, the auto-defence systems of each ship were designed to be potentially able to take out even a fully-powered Kryptonian."
Cir-El saluted, then vanished in a blur of motion and Fury stared at the screen.
"What's our ETA?"
"Two hours, sir."
"Damn!" Fury cursed. "Comm! Raise everyone! I want every single ally, superteam, independent hero, rogue vigilante and potential recruit mobilised five minutes ago! And someone get me Zod!"
A new screen flickered into existence and blinked to show a view of three people.
"Director Fury." The man in the center nodded.
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"So." Zod said as the screen before the triumvirate blinked out of existence. "Technically, as this is not a planetary crisis, we do not have to get involved, but… Boreas, why do you look so worried?"
"This being who calls himself Apocalypse is listed in our records." Boreas said with quiet intensity. "He is the one known as En Sabah Nur and he is the reason for our time of isolation. He sought to seize control of the world and he personally oversaw the destruction of a dozen enclaves of my people, seeking slaves to serve in his army. Only a treaty that we had made with the Celestials in exchange for samples of our DNA let us survive. The Celestials stood before him and after he forced them to retreat, seizing their technology, they called upon their army, the Eternals, to imprison him in timeless sleep, confined behind three mystical gates concealed below the Great Sphinx. He swore that New Olympus would either be his to rule or be destroyed by him. For him to return…"
Zod nodded slowly. "Then he will become a threat to New Krypton?"
"If he isn't already."
Zod frowned in thought, then turned to the Israeli Prime Minister. "I believe that the watcher protocols may need to be used."
"What about Hara Chi-Sho?" Boreas askd and Zod gave a slight shrug.
"She and Moira McTaggert are overseeing a project of theirs in the Xavier Institute. I have no reason to suspect that she is in any danger."
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Apocalypse stood on the central dais of the Bridge as around him, the Hydra agents finished going through their checklists. A moment later, the Red Skull stepped forwards and thrust his right arm up in a salute.
"All three ships are ready to deploy, Mein Herr. What are your orders."
Apocalypse smirked. "Then let us claim the skies. Sinister, send the message as we launch."
Sinister bowed and walked to the communication console as the Red Skull moved to the side-console meant for use by the second-in-command.
"Macht den motoren! Heben sie die shiffe fur den ruhm des Apokalypse!"
The sound of repulsor engines built up and the metal wall in front of the bridge seemed to slowly sink as the multi-megaton vessel majestically rose from its construction cradle. A moment passed, then the top of the wall came into view and the landscape beyond followed.
"Your kingdom awaits, My Lord." Sinister purred and Apocalypse nodded.
"Summon my Sentinels to accompany us."
"Wie sie befehlen, Mein Herr!"
Apocalypse nodded, then his gaze moved to where distant specks were moving, most away from them, although a few were growing in size.
"A chance to test the defences of this ship." He mused. "Excellent."
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"It's confirmed, sir." The tech stated, her voice flat with shock held in check by pure professionalism. "All three ships have launched."
Fury didn't even bother to respond but instead glared at the screen on which all three ships could be seen rising into the air.
"From the images, Apocalypse, Sinister and Red Skull are on the Principalitus, Magneto and Angel are on the Exsuperantia while Galatea and the shapeshifter are on the Praestantia."
"What the hell were the Council thinking, creating three ships named Superiority." Fury snorted. "But they did and they are. Any one of those ships can take us down without taking much more than a damned scratch. All three of them in concert…"
"Course calculated… Capitol Hill. They've broadcast a message, sir."
"Show me."
A new screen formed and Fury watched as a picture of a blue-skinned humanoid in high-tech armour formed on it.
"I am Apocalypse. I have returned from my Aeons-long sleep to reclaim that which is mine. I once ruled the world and I will do so once more.
"I will allow none to stand in my way.
"All who follow me shall be rewarded while those who stand against me shall fall. I call upon the President to surrender to me. Not for fear of his own life, but so that I will not be forced to strike down the forces loyal to America, the soldiers who are sworn to protect it.
"Once I claim my rightful place, I shall lead America to its rightful place as the homeland, the capital of my new Empire, an Empire that shall cover all of Earth and from there, the stars themselves.
"Join me, and you will oversee the Empire of Apocalypse!"
"Well." Fury snorted as the message flickered and repeated."At least we know what he's planning."
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"Move! Move! Move!"
Scott and Alex sprinted across the hangar and up the ramp. Hurling themselves into the pilot and copilot's seats of the Blackbird, they started working through the pre-flight checklist with a speed that they had never-before attained.
"All systems here check." Alex announced. "Raising ramp."
"All systems check." Scott replied. "Powering up engines and opening outer door, prepare to launch."
Ahead of them, the end of the tunnel brightened as the reinforced doors opened, then Scott slid the throttles forwards, causing them both to be pushed back into their seats.
"Hope we get backup." Alex grunted as the walls of the launch tunnel blurred past them, then they erupted out of the mouth of the tunnel, pulling into a sharp, twisting climb even as the wheels retracted.
"The prof's already contacting everyone he can." Scott stated as the Blackbird settled onto its new course. "Full thrust!"
Alex grunted as he was shoved back into his seat once again. "Why don't we have inertial compensators in the cockpit like we have in the main section?"
"kinesthetic feedback."
Alex gave his older brother a look. "You're just making up words now."
"Nope, it's true." Scott replied as the g-forces decreased. "It's effectively full-body feedback, gives you a better sense of what you're doing."
Alex opened his mouth, paused, then shrugged. "You're the pilot."
"Damn right, little bro." Scott grinned, then he turned back to the controls. "Jetstream detected, going up another six-hundred feet."
"Incoming message!" Alex snapped and one of the screens changed to show Talon and Beast in another cockpit.
"We have finished installing the portable Door and are launching now." Hank stated as Talon concentrated on the flight controls. "Sif and the Warriors Four have already sent confirmation that they are on their way. What are we facing?"
"Trouble." A new voice said and the screen split to show Xavier's worried face. "Fury just called, SHIELD is compromised. Apparently Hydra has been infiltrating it ever since it was formed. Fury thinks that maybe one in five are currently Hydra-affiliated."
"That many?" Scott gasped.
"That many." Xavier nodded. "The Howling Commandoes are currently occupied defending the Lockdown Facility from a force of Sentinels and those clay-things."
"The Lockd… Isn't that where several dozen Super-villains are held?" Alex asked and Xavier nodded.
"Crap. It's the whole battle against Magneto again, isn't it?"
"No." Xavier said sadly. "It's worse. My old friend isn't leading this, but he is involved. I have reason to believe that he is somehow being… controlled."
"Magneto… controlled?" Scott repeated. "Oh, that can't be good."
"As is Warren." Xavier added and Talon jolted in his seat.
"Warren's alive?!"